Dawes.

This was done, and the two were soon cantering further and further from
the waggons. The country, which had hitherto been bushy and rolling,
now began to assume a somewhat different aspect. High conical hills
rose on either hand, their slopes streaked with black, forest-clad
kloofs, and the two horsemen, wending their way beneath, noticed that
the long winding valley they were pursuing was carpeted with a smooth,
green, meadow-like sward.

"I'm rather uneasy about those Swazis of ours," said Dawes, as they rode
along. "They're brewing some dog's trick, I know. My impression is
that they mean to desert. I can see by their sulky and hang-dog manner
what it all amounts to, and this morning while they were sitting round
their fire I happened to pass near enough to catch a word or two of
their conversation. I heard `Igazipuza' mentioned more than once. It's
quite wonderful how this form of funk has sprung up along this border,
and in fact it was a long way inside Swaziland that we heard it."

"Yes. The wonder is that we got a single Swazi to go with us. But is
there really such a chap as Ingonyama? You know the Zulu country pretty
well."

"I never heard of him till lately," answered Dawes. "Still he may be
some petty chief, who has suddenly sprung into fame, and has gathered
around him all the ruffians of the Zulu nation. Well, a few days more
will show. But I don't like our Swazis turning rusty. If they make off
we can't replace them, for this strip of country seems absolutely
uninhabited. Hallo!--quick--jump down, Ridgeley!"

This in harried _staccato_. For in rounding a spur, there, in front of
them, right out in the open stood a fine bush-buck ram. Roused by the
tramp of the horses' feet he stood, his head thrown back, gazing
curiously upon the intruders. The last idea apparently that occurred to
him was that of flight.

"Two hundred yards sight, not too fine," whispered Dawes, as Gerard
dropped into a sitting posture.

But before the latter had time to press trigger the back was seen to
leap high in the air, and fall over kicking; then, after another plunge
and a kind of gasping bellow, it lay still.

"By Jove! What does that mean?" cried Gerard.

"It has been assegaied," said Dawes. The buck was lying some thirty
yards from the edge of the bush. Out of the latter there now emerged a
tall savage, who without deigning to take any notice of the presence of
strangers, walked straight